Automation

Dynamic IPs change without warning, so run the updater on a schedule. It exits quickly when nothing changed (one paginated API read, no writes), and the lock prevents overlapping runs.

Linux / macOS: cron

Schedule the updater with cron:

crontab -e

# Every 5 minutes, quietly
*/5 * * * * /opt/Cloudflare-DNS-Updater/cloudflare-dns-updater.sh --silent

Use the absolute path to the launcher (or binary). Output is already suppressed by --silent; errors still print and land in cron mail if configured.

Linux: systemd timer

Prefer a systemd timer? Create the service unit at /etc/systemd/system/cf-updater.service:

[Unit]
Description=Cloudflare DNS Updater
After=network-online.target
Wants=network-online.target

[Service]
Type=oneshot
ExecStart=/opt/Cloudflare-DNS-Updater/cloudflare-dns-updater.sh --silent

/etc/systemd/system/cf-updater.timer:

[Unit]
Description=Run Cloudflare DNS Updater every 5 minutes

[Timer]
OnBootSec=2min
OnUnitActiveSec=5min

[Install]
WantedBy=timers.target

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable --now cf-updater.timer
systemctl list-timers cf-updater.timer

Windows: Task Scheduler

1. Open Task Scheduler → Create Basic Task.
2. Name it e.g. “Cloudflare DNS Updater”.
3. Trigger: Daily, then edit the task’s properties to Repeat task every 5 minutes for a duration of Indefinitely.
4. Action: Start a Program → browse to cf-updater-windows-x86_64.exe.
5. Arguments: --silent.
6. In the task’s settings, set Start in to the folder containing cloudflare-dns.yaml.

Choosing an interval

Every run that detects no change costs one read request to the Cloudflare API. Cloudflare’s global API rate limit (1200 requests per 5 minutes per user) leaves enormous headroom even at one run per minute; every 5 minutes is a comfortable default for home connections.

Frequently asked questions

How often should it run?

Every 5 minutes is a comfortable default for home connections. Cloudflare’s limit of 1200 requests per 5 minutes leaves large headroom even at one run per minute.

Will overlapping runs cause problems?

No. A lockfile makes a second invocation exit immediately, so aggressive schedules are safe.

How do I check it is working?

Run it once with --debug to watch IP detection and the API calls. When running from source, the same output is also written to logs/updater.log in the project directory.

Does a run cost an API request when nothing changed?

Yes, one read request per run. It only writes to the API when the IP actually changed (or when you pass --force).